A Match Made In Heaven
by heichoustheoryofcleanliness
Summary: What if God does Midorima Shintarou a favour and sets him up with the most compatible partner,who happens to be the blue-haired lyricist of the most popular school idol group- Sonoda Umi? However, there are obstacles along the way, and one of them happens to be a certain absolute emperor. [PAIRINGS AND SUMMARY MAY SUBJECT TO CHANGE]
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1 : Encounter**

Sonoda Umi had been whole-heartedly contented with her height,well,had been. And at this moment in time she regretted it so deeply. Enormous bookshelves towered over her, the rustic odor of books filled up her nostrils. All of them were lying in wait to be explored,to be uncovered. Unfortunately,a 159 cm Umi was unable to reach 'Withering Heights' on the 5th shelf. However, Umi was undoubtedly a strong-willed girl with no intention of giving up on procuring the book. Her feet started to wobble as she tiptoed over to get the very book she longed for. Her forehead became slick with sweat,strands of blue hair in disarray.

'Almost there'-Umi thought as she strove towards the shelf again but to her horror,the book was nowhere in sight

Just as Umi began to panic,which had sort of become an ingrained tendency,she noticed a heap of verdant next to her. The unusually tall bespectacled man seemed to be her age,or so she thought. He was offering her the book on one taped hand and holding a packet of salt on the other. Being the insightful one Umi was able to discern the greenhaired teen's beautiful facial features,hidden behind his stern gaze.

"Thank you very much!"-she bowed as low as she could in order to avoid eye-contact. Despite his breathtakingly beautiful eyelashes, his overall gigantic build combining with the sheer hostility he exhibited created an excrutiatingly stagnant atmostphere.

Umi's overtly tactful manner took Midorima Shintarou by surprise. Umi straightened up,and inadvertently looked right into his eyes. Both of the teens wewre drowned in embarrassment,and began to stammer unintelligible things probably about school idols and basketball .

Umi awkwardly received the book from Midorima as she bowed yet moment their eyes met,though he constantly refused to consciously admit it,but he truly found Sonoda Umi's appearance quite appealing. Her silky blue hair,her vibrant amber orbs,in addition to her dignified manners gave the impression of a traditional Japanese beauty,who could certainly captured the hearts of every single man on Earth.

"Excuse me..are you..perhaps..injured?"-Umi's sudden inquiry snapped him out of his daze. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"It's a method to keep my fingers intact. Well-manicured fingers play an important role in ensuring the quality of my shots-nodayo"

"Then perhaps salt is also crucial to your shots,I suppose?"-Umi was confounded,trying to find out how a packet of salt was related to hand-maintenance

"That is, Cancer's lucky item for the day, a packet of salt"-he proudly enunciated,much to Umi's confusion. It was unbelievable who seemed initally a rational man turned out to be ridiculously superstitious.

"Yeah—" –Umi awkwardly replied,then bowed agin before making her exit.

Midorima also grabbed a book from the fiction section. He had contacted Takao to fetch him to a practice match. When he walked out of the library,he saw Umi looking impatiently to her watch,she was also waiting for a certain hyperactive friend . They both waited in silence for a long time

"Shin-chan!"

"Umi-chan!"

Two shouts echoed across the streets,following by a scandalous sight: Honoka was sitting on a cart,cycled by none other than Midorima's energetic teammate. He pulled up where Midorima and Umi were standing. While Umi couldn't utter a word ,Midorima was incensed: not only was Takao late,but he had been taking some random girl around in his cart and left him waiting.

"U-umi-chan I can explain… You see,I woke up really early this morning and..and Yukiho asked me to help her with some..homework..I left the house a little later than I had expected.."-Honoka scratched her head nervously

"H-hey Shin-chan sorry for letting you wait here alone..with this gorgeous lady"-Takao gestured to Umi-"HEY!Aren't you Sonoda Umi from MUSE?!Shin-chan did I rank first on Oha-Asa,because today sure is my luckiest day"-Takao beamed with sheer bliss

"HOW DID BOTH OF YOU END UP RIDING ON THE SAME RICKSHAW THEN?"-Umi and Midorima shouted in unison

"I was on my way to your place when I saw this Honoka-chan from Muse miserably dashing out of her house. Then I decided to give her a lift…But Shin-chan,traffic in the morning was hectic and you are so mean to expect me,and this rickshaw to be here on time"-Takao finished with his lengthy excuse,earning a nod of approval from Honoka

"YOU IDIOT!"

"Umi-chan,don't scold me! The 3rd- year have to complete their university application,so they won't make it today.I've just been informed. So let's go have some parfait!"-Honoka excitedly pumped her fist in the air.

"Hey Shin-chan our practice was actually postponed ya know? I received the message while I was stuck in the traffic. To think that I have gone all the way here just to have you scold me…"-Takao slumped down in despondency.

"Ne ne Takao-kun!How does getting some parfait sound? My treat ,as you've helped me a great deal back there!"-Honoka beamed at Takao whose face brightened up instantly

At the time,Midorima who was standing next to Umi could detect a menacingly dark aura radiating from her. Takao and Honoka seemed to notice this sudden change as well

"Woa Umi-san,you look even cuter up close!"-Takao exclaimed

"Right? Umi-chan often receives a lot of love letters from boys"-Honoka, having been Umi's childhood friend for years,she knew exactly how to appease the blunnette in situations like this.

Umi huffed and looked away,her face burning and her eyes watery. Midorima had to stifle a laugh at this hilarious sight. The composed Umi that he just met was now a total blushing mess.

"Oi Shin-chan,wanna go with us for some parfait?"-Takao motioned to the cart,hinting that Midorima would have to comply or else he would go home on foot.

"Don't just randomly socialize with people you don't know"-Midorima facepalmed

"But Muse is popular all over the country. So Honoka-chan counts as a celebrity!"-Takao retorted

By now Umi had regained her composure,

"You too Honoka!How could you indiscreetly jump onto other people's vehicle like that?" she also voiced her disapproval

"Shin-chan and Umi-san are both so scary,aren't they? I doubt they will make great parents in the future,right Honoka-chan?"-Takao sneakered,making both of them blushed furiously

"Don't joke around,Takao!"-Midorima reprimanded Takao

"Takao-san,that is not an appropriate way to joke!"-Umi shot him a death glare

"Relax now don't you and Honoka-chan hop in?I'll.."-Takao was about to suggest giving Umi and Honoka a ride to the nearby dessert shop,but was interrupted by Umi

"No thanks,I'll walk"

"You two have a nice time walking then! We will be going first"-Takao departed while waving his hand

Midorima and Umi sighed though they had to deal with their childish partners everyday,they still found it hard to keep up with their peers' enthusiasm.

They strolled along the street awkwardly in silence,earning envious and admiring looks from pedestrians.

"Midorima-san,uhm,sorry for having thrown a tantrum back there.."-Umi sheepishly apologized.

"It was the idiot's fault. I apologize on behalf of Takao for causing you unprecedented inconvenience"-Midorima politely replied

"What school are you two currently attending?"-Umi asked the green giant,now that she had became more comfortable interacting with him

"Shuutoku High,second year. What about you?"

"Otonikizaka High. It's an all-girls private school so I doubt you would know. Having gotten into such a prestigious school like Shuutoku,Midorima-san must be very intelligent."-Umi gently smiled ,making the tall man's heart skipped a beat

"I-I'm not t-that good"-he stammered,looking away

"Earlier,Midorima-san did mention 'shots'. Do you play basketball?"-Umi questioned

"I'm a shooting-guard nanodayo. My shots never miss because I always carry my lucky items with me"-he proudly stated

"L-lucky items?"-confusion was written all over her face. A gust of nostalgia overtook her as she reminisced about the days members of muse were indoctrinated with Nozomi's overtly superstitious preachings.

Realizing that Umi was spacing out,he asked:

"What's your star sign?"

Baffled by the sudden question,she stumbled over her words

"..15th ..of March..so it would be Pisces,yes Pisces"

To Umi's astonishment,he looked surprisingly pleased after hearing her response

(Pisces ranked highest in terms of compatibility with Cancers,followed by Scorpios)

"Then..your sign is..?"

"Cancer,unfortunately I am extremely unlucky today. Uhm..you.. ..Pisces is the luckiest today"

"My name is Sonoda Umi,by the way"-she tactfully introduced herself.

* * *

 **English is not my mother-tongue so please bear with my vocab &grammar mistakes**

 **I ship these two since I find them strikingly similar :D So please review and give me constructive criticism on how to develop this story!**

 **The subsequent chapters might be shorter than this one though :(**

 **Thank you very much!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's chapter 2.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

"Oi Shin-chan"

"Umi-chan, over here!"

The four ordered their food and seated themselves at a table besides the Takao and Honoka was chatting happily about their schoolwork,Umi and Midorima shifted awkwardly in their seats

"Ah Umi-san,did Shin-chan ask you about your star sign?"-Takao asked, though it sounded more like a rhetoric question which obviously didn't need an answer

"eh?How do you know"-Umi was thrown into a state of confusion again

"Huh?Umi-chan is Pisces, what's the matter?"-Honoka blinked

"Haha I knew it! There you go Shin-chan, you two are the most compatible pair! Don't worry, my claims are validated!"-Takao seemed very contented as he'd found Midorima's potential love interest

On their way to the café, Honoka and Takao had discussed about the two's possibilities. Surprisingly, the ocean maiden and the horoscopic jerk had much more in common than they thought : Both were perfectionists and were highly intelligent. Both were extremely sensitive and self-conscious. Not to mention anger management issues…

"I'm off to the toilet"

"Sorry Umi-chan, I need to use the bathroom for a little bit"

Their partners ran off to another table, leaving the two alone .

Their parfait arrived, Midorima and Umi finished their servings in silence.

She reached out for the tissue when suddenly their hands collided. Umi quickly withdrew her hand from his, and he did too. They blushed furiously at the abrupt physical contact.

Little did they know Honoka and Takao, after having paid for the parfaits, had stealthily sneaked out of the shop and made their escape, marking a success of their plans.

Meanwhile, Umi and Midorima gradually grew more complacent with each other's presence .They exchanged opinions about books and tedious and high-minded subject matters such as global warming and climate change.

"Midorima-san ,what do you think is the cause of the exponential outbreak of terrorism in Middle East?"

or

"Sonoda-san, do you suggest any ways to improve water sanitation in Africa?"

And so on

It went on about an hour or so before they realized their partners had disappeared. Midorima received a lengthy text message from Takao 'Seeing that you are so engrossed in your conversation with Umi-san, I didn't have the heart to interrupt you guys. Why don't you ask Umi-san to accompany you back to your house. Umi-san is a shrine maiden, she could definitely ward off your bad luck =))'

Midorima flipped his phone shut in annoyance. He had no way now other than asking her to escort him home for fear of accidents.

And he was relieved to hear that their houses were in the same neighborhood, and that Umi was actually the future heiress to the shrine he frequently visited.

"I had fun today, Midorima-san"-Umi told him in a genuine tone

"It was certainly much more pleasant to talk to someone knowledgeable for a while"

They reached his house when he saw his sister outside 'She must have just returned from school'-he thought

"Welcome back onii-chan!"-the greenhaired girl greeted her brother as she turned the doorknob. When the little girl noticed Umi standing behind him, she exclaimed happily:

"You—you are Muse's Umi-san!I'm Muse's biggest fan!"-she dashed towards Umi and pulled her inside the house.

"Oi Maika!Let go of her!"-Midorima reprimanded his sister for dragging a stranger into their residence, nevertheless he was taken aback by how universal Umi was.

"Onii-chan! Your so mean, I just want to have a word with my idol now that she's going to be my in-law in the future"-Maika retorted, apparently dissatisfied with her brother's attitude

"It's not like that..we're merely acquaintances. We've just met this morning!"-Umi despite her flushed face, desperately trying to make it clear to her fan that she was not in a relationship with the girl's older brother.

"Then..Umi-san is not onii-chan's girlfriend?.."-the excitement in her voice died down

"Sonoda-san, I would like to apologize for my little sister's behavior. I beg your forgiveness. And Maika, you are making her feel uncomfortable"-Midorima who was also blushing madly at his sibling's accusations, tried to hide his red face by bowing to Umi

"Ah..it's alright Midorima-san. There's no need to apologize..I'll take my leave,then!Goodbye!"-Umi dashed out of the residence at lightning speed.

"Umi-san is soo pretty ..and cool"-Maika dreamily murmured-"If you don't hurry up and get her, I'll do it!"-she declared adamantly

"Shut up"-Midorima glared menacingly at his sister

Upon reaching her home, Umi was panting heavily. Apart from a few times having to wear short skirts, that was certainly the most embarrassing moment t of her life. She had had a emotionally rough day, so the lyricist decided to take a light nap. However, she couldn't shake off the day's events from her mind, so she stayed wide awake. Then her phone rang and obviously Honoka was the caller:

"Umi-chan!How was your time with Midorima-kun? "-Honoka asked eagerly

"Do you find it that funny, Honoka? My future partner is not for the likes of you to decide!"-Umi's deep voice suddenly faltered, as if she was on the verge of tears

"Umi.."

Umi threw her phone aside, burrying her head in the pillows. Then she fell asleep.

Midorima was highly agitated when his sister bragged about having met her idol to their parents. He felt sorry for Umi, who was unfortunately entangled in a chaotic mess because of him, or rather, his bad luck.

From : Muse's Honk

"Oi Takao-kun, Umi-chan is mad at me now. I think Midorima-kun is as well. Woah ,what should we do?"

From : Shuutoku's Hawkeye

"Relax, Honoka-san. I'm sure fate will eventually unite them together. Our work here is done"

After a week immersing herself in her newly-borrowed book, Umi had completely gotten rid of the previous traumatizing events. She felt at ease now that she is taking a walk to the nearby library to return the book. The front door of the library opened only to reveal the figure of a carrot-like man, none other than the 195 cm Midorima, who also happened to return his book on the same day

Umi tried to slip away unnoticed, but it was too late. The two was staring at each other awkwardly in silence. Finally, Umi headed for the queue directly behind Midorima without a word. Midorima flinched at the coincidence, conjecturing that this must be Takao's prank.

On the other hand, Umi was having difficulty breathing. Anyone looking at this sight would guess that this girl is suffering from a panic attack. In a sense, yes, Umi is experiencing a panic attack : just a week before, she was shamefully tricked by her longtime childhood friend into going on a date with this random guy and now that very peculiar horoscopic freak was standing in front of her.

When the girl took the place behind him in the queue, Midorima was frantically finding a place to hide his lucky item, or to just go and bury himself if Umi ever saw it. Unfortunately, Umi accidentally took a glance at his so-called lucky item and almost fainted on the spot

Cancer's lucky item of the day was a paper fan

To Umi's horror, the texture on the fan was not some fancy caligraphy like she'd expected, but rather, it was the image of Umi herself in her Angelic Angel costume that was printed on the fan. It turned out that Midorima had to borrow his sister's idol fan since he didn't have one. He was unsure whether the girl had seen his lucky item or not so he turned around and was faced with a smiling Umi. Well, her smile wasn't a bright and innocent one, it was laced with poison. He certainly had better give her plausible explanations.

'Midorima-san, please wait for me at the entrance'- somehow her sweet voice came off more as a threat. He swallowed hard, and had no other option but to obey.

Umi still kept up her cheery facade, until she came face-to-face with the shooting-guard at the pavement outside the library.

"Mind if I ask what that is?"- she pointed to the fan he was holding on his bandaged hand

"My lucky item of the day - nodayo. It happens to be a paper fan, so I had to borrow from my sister"-he shivered miserably at Umi's sceptical attitude, hoping that she would understand he wasn't doing this on purpose

At this time, it actually made sense to Umi, since his little sister was a Muse, particularly Umi-fanatic, it would be reasonable for her to own something like this. And judging by the look on Midorima's face, he was just as mortified as she was, having to keep this thing around.

"I see.." - Umi suddenly seemed sympathetic – " but why does it have to be me in this costume?" – she murmured, burying her face into her hands.

"My apologies, Sonoda-san. However, it is my within my business to prioritize my luck, even if it means risking my self-esteem, or others" – Midorima stated, clearly having no intention of giving up his lucky item. "Now, if you'd excuse me"

Midorima's phone suddenly vibrated. He almost forgot he had a scheduled reunion with his middle-school teammate for a baskketball match.

"May I purchase your lucky item, Midorima-san? I'm willing to pay at whichever price you request!" – Umi pleaded him, looking distraught as ever.

"Wh-what?"

"Please, or I'll get you another paper fan, please wait for me"

"Look, Dai-chan, Midorin is over there! Ara? Who is the girl standing next to him?" – Momoi tapped Aomine's shoulder

"Huh, Midorima with a girl? Impossible" – Aomine laughed off the idea, but as soon as the sight came into view, he took a step back – "Oi Satsuki, get me to the nearest opthamologist right away"

"What's wrong Aomine-cchi? What's with the sullen face?"- Kise chimed in, and when he witnessed the scene, he yelped in horror.

"Kise, what happened?

"Kise-kun, what's going on?"

"Ehhh, is that Mido-chin?"

The Teiko gang hid themselves behind a large bush, observing the situation

"Can someone explain to me why we are stalking Midorima-kun and his girlfriend?"- Kuroko deadpanned

"Shussh Tetsu-kun, stalking is an art"- said Momoi as she went into her professional spying mode

"Midorima actually has great taste doesn't he? Nah, forget it, her boobs are small"

"You are so mean Aominecchi! But she kinda looks familiar. I think I've seen her somewhere"

"I think let's just drop it here. We should respect Midorima's privacy"- despite having said so Akashi couldn't take his eyes off the bluehaired beauty.

"Aka-chin, I'm hungry"

* * *

 **I'm going to introduce the rest of Muse in the next chapters :)**

 **Please review and stay tuned!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Here's chapter 3**

 **More interactions between Umi and the rainbow dorks!**

* * *

"Sonoda-san, I'm afraid I cannot do that. I have an upcoming match in a few minutes, so I.."

"Midorimacchi, long time no see!"

From the nearby bush emmerged 6 colorful teens, they flocked over to Midorima's place, eyeing Umi with fascination

..when Kise clamped his hands together as if he'd remember something important:

"You are Sonoda Umi, from Muse! Am I right-ssu?"- he flashed Umi his usual charming smile

"Ah.."

While Umi was unable to reply, a bunch of questions poured in

"How did you meet Midorin?"

"How long have you been dating?"

Or

" Did he ask you about your zodiac sign?"

"Do you have food?"

"WE'RE NOT DATING!"

"You are making her uncomfortable. Stop ambushing her with such privy questions" – being able to sense Umi's distress, Akashi approached her and respectfully apologized on his teammates' behalf

"It's no big deal! Thank you very much!" – Umi politely bowed to Akashi, to express her gratefulness. Thanks to him, she wasn't bombarded with the absurd amount of questions from them.

Umi gave Akashi a gentle smile, rendering him speechless for a moment. As she proceed to leave, he acted on impulse and pulled her arm, taking everyone by surprise, including himself

"S-Sonoda-san, may I ask of your presence in our basketball match?" – Akashi, who now had let go of her arm, asked

'hmm? Akashi? Stammering? This is new'

'Akashicchi you cannot keep her to yourself this is unfair!'

" Akashi, you are putting her in a difficult situation! She might have other work to do"- Midorima said, apparently annoyed

"Sonoda-san, you can leave if you feel hindered. But we would appreciate it if you could attend this match of ours"

It's undeniable that Akashi was a persuasive gentlement. So Umi ended up coming with the miracles to a nearby court. During the walk to the court, Akashi seemed to have lost control over his actions, he kept his eyes glued to Umi, who was now talking to Momoi. Midorima noticed Akashi's strange behavior, and he disliked the fact that Umi was gaining attention from his former teammates

"Sonoda-san, are you in the archery club? I heard that you are the champion of every archery contest you join !" – Momoi asked

"Eh? How do you know which club I'm in? Besides, I'm not very good so.."

To which Momoi only responded with a smile

"Wow, Sonoda-san is so talented-ssu!"

They finally reached the court, so everyone changed into their sports clothing. The basketbal court looked foreign to Umi, since she had never set foot on one, nor even touched a basketball before.

When the Teiko gang saw Umi fumbling with the ball, it was quite a hilarious sight.

"Sonodacchi! I can tutor you!" – Kise enthusiastically offered her his hand

"Shut it Kise, you are annoying!" – came a grumpy Midorima. One by one, all of them were on two sides of the court, ready for a match

Akashi, Midorima and Murasakibara were on team red

Kise, Aomine, Kuroko were on team blue

It was quite a smooth start. However, for someone who had never played basketball like Umi, this was a new experience.

Kise received a pass from Kuroko and scored the first goal. Umi, being unable to hide her awe, was visibly smiling at Kise's lay-up

Seeing that Umi was looking at Kise with admiration, Midorima and Akashi shot Kise a death glare, declaring that the game was officially on.

Midorima, who was at the opposite side of the court, got the ball, and perform his (un)usually High-Trajectory Shot. He glanced at Umi from the corner of his eye and smirked pridefully when the ball went in. As expected, the ocean maiden gasped when she saw the ball flying from the other end of the court and went straight into the basket, questioning herself if she was witnessing a super- human basketball match.

The first half left quite a gap, 24-36 with team Red in the lead. Well, it was mainly due to Akashi and Midorima's competitiveness, and they certainly didn't fail at attracting Umi's attention.

"Sonoda-san, have you ever played basketball before?" – Momoi's question snapped Umi out of her daze

"Ah..no..I've never played this sport.."

"Hmm, you have a very athletic physical built, why don't you take up something other than archery? A B-cup like you shouldn't have any difficulty with sports!" – Momoi seductively winked at her (sorry guys I'm having this urge to include some yuri if you don't mind)

"Ho-how'd you know about m-my c-c-cup size?" – Umi covered her chest in embarrassment

Momoi only gave her a sly smile

"Sonoda-san, would you like to join us?" – Akashi, being the smooth gentleman he was, offered her the ball, to which she shook her hand furiously

"Pardon me. I have never played basketball before"

"Then we'll teach you, Sonoda-san. Aomine-kun is a great tutor" – Kuroko stated 'as a matter-of-factly'

"Th-that Ganguro? A great tutor? Come on Tetsu-kun!" – Momoi bursted out laughing

"I have to agree with Momoi. If anything, Aomine is not cut out for teaching"- Midorima cut in

"A-ano, you can carry on with your match. I'm not really interested in basketball, to be honest" – Umi internally groaned – 'Why did I even agree to come here in the first place? I knew it was a bad idea! I feel so weird and out of place without Honoka here'

"Well, if you say so Sonoda-chin"

The two teams continued their match. Midorima and Akashi couldn't help grinning to themselves each time Umi's face brightened up (for reference about her cringe-worthy expression just google Umi's poker face) . It got intense when Kuroko started to 'Ignite pass-kai' the hell out of everywhere. It went out of hand when Kise copied the phantom's technique and accidently wrung the ball towards Momoi direction.

It was happening too fast. Momoi covered her face, prepared for the impact that could probably break her nose. However, the ball didn't hit her. Instead, it hit the opposite side of the court with such capacity that the iron rail was deformed.

Umi Sonoda was standing in front of her, shielding her protectively. Momoi was so touched that she almost bursted into tears.

The guys were initially prepared to take Momoi to a nearby medical facility. But what happened in front of their eyes was totally out of the question

* * *

 **It seems Umi-chan was trying to play prince-charming~**

 **Muse squad will come in chapter four! Be prepared for the chaos!**


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4**

* * *

The bluehaired school idol just used her bare hands to steer the ball towards another direction with acute preciseness and astonishing agility _ **(ahem her supersonic pillows are deathly)**_

This left the Miracles speechless. They all took a step back and cowered in fear

"Oi Kise, you said she was a school idol.."

"How could she be capable of such strength?" – Midorima stared at Umi in horror, apparently this girl was not to be taken lightly, ever.

"She puts herself in grave danger for someone she's just met. How selfless of you, Umi Sonoda" – Akashi chuckled lightly

"Thankyou so very much Umi-chan! If it hadn't been for you…Ah can I call you Umi-chan from now on?" – Momoi was sulking hysterically

"Of course" - Umi gently comforted the pinkhaired girl - _'She reminds me of Kotori though'_

"Sonodacchi, I'm very sorry for the trouble! As compensation, I will give Sonodacchi my photobook for f-urmffff"- Kise was immidietly silenced by a bunch of pissed off colorful teenagers.

" But where did you learn to do that? Tetsuya- I mean Kuroko was only able to master the technique after a long arduous period of non-stop practice" – Akashi inquired with an adamant tone

"I practice archery quite regularly so I guess my arms gradually developed strength and quick reflexes through time"

"Woa, Umi-chan is so awesome!" – Momoi threw her arms over Umi's shoulders, locking her in a suffocating hug

Then the dreadful thing happened

Midorima's lucky item , the mortifying paper fan, was lying bare, ostensibly, in broad daylight

"Heh, is this yours, Midorima? I knew you two have something going on!" – Aomine jabbed Midorima lightly, much to the shooter's annoyance

The moment everyone saw Midorima's lucky item, Umi broke herself out of Momoi's embrace and dashed out of the court with supersonic speed.

Midorima was left alone, explaining the whole 'lucky item ordeal' to his team, clearing out that he and Umi, was in fact not at all romatically involved.

Somehow Akashi felt a great relief after hearing that from his former teammate.

"Umi Sonoda,huh?"

Midorima bid goodbye with his teammates and went home, replaying the whole event in his mind. He entered his room, it was in the afternoon, and he couldn't take his mind off THAT BLUEHAIRED MONSTER. _' Albeit her super strength, Ill admit she's quite a well-mannered lady..wait, think rationally! She might be a spy from another team. How on earth was she capable of such impossible feat? That attack, ignite pass, had been Kuroko's monopoly, and had been proven to be unimmitable..'_ A knock came on his door

"Onii-chan, give me back my Umi-chan paper fan !"

He groaned, vocally

Then he realized it was because of him that Umi ran off in embarrassment

'Maybe I should apologise to her, if we meet again'

"Umi-chan, what's wrong?" – Kotori patted her sobbing friend gently

"I-I-Honoka-arghhh" – the blunette continued to sob uncontrollably

Kotori sighed, she had known that Umi was a sensitive girl despite her tough appearance, but she had never seen her childhood friend so distraught before

Somehow, Umi ended up telling Kotori everything . From how she was forced to go on a date with a random carrot-like guy, to the shameful idol paper fan predicament.

Kotori could only give her a nervous smile in return

"Don't worry Umi-chan! I'm sure they won't mind. Besides, Umi-chan looks so beautiful in that Yukata. In fact, Umi-chan looks good in anything! I'm envious" – Kotori nudged her friend lovingly

At times like this, it was always Kotori who managed to calm her down, helping her regain her composure. Kotori was always tender and understanding, well Honoka was, too . It's just she was too loud and Umi sometimes found it difficult to keep up with her high spirits

Nevertheless, she was lucky to have those two by her side.

"Hey Shin-chan! How's your love life with Umi-chan?"

"I have absolutley nothing to do with her. Don't tell me you are up to some mischief again this time. Winter Cup Semi-finals are next week, and we're against Rakuzan,so there's no time to spare" – Midorima pushed up his glasses then walked away.

Takao smirked – _'Shin-chan, you tsundere! You are clearly blushing when I mentioned Umi-chan! Guess I'll have to play Cupid again'_

* * *

Sorry for cutting it short! But I'm still wondering who I should ship Umi with, Akashi or Midorima?

Cast your votes in the reviews :))


	5. Chapter 5

**Chap 5**

* * *

"Tai-Taihen desu!" – Hanayo's voice rang through the club room

"What is it Kayo-chin?" – Rin asked

"A-an invitation to perform at the Winter Cup Stadium!"

"Huh? What is the "Winter Cup Stadium" to be exact?" – Nico narrowed her eyes in suspicion

"You don't know Nico-chan? It's a huge stadium only for basketball elites!" – Rin, who was a sports enthusiast, exclaimed

Umi choked on her drink when she heard the word' basketball'

"Then we must accept this 'once-in-a-lifetime' invitation then! Nico can't leave her legend of fans waiting!"

"Well, it's also one of our last chance to perform together. So go for it, then" – Eli looked at her friends

"What will we be singing at the Stadium? I think the song "Angelic angel" would do, since we received positive feedback about it when we performed it in the US" – Maki said while twirling her hair

Umi choked on her drink for the second time

"What's wrong Umi-chan? You seem awfully quiet today" – Kotori was worried about Umi. The girl had been so absent-minded recently.

Umi just shook her head furiously

"How about Start:Dash? It is upbeat and I think that would fit the atmostphere in the stadium!" – Honoka suggested

"I think so too, Honoka-chan"

"Everyone, the next practice we will revise the dance moves for the song. We have a week to go, so let's do our best!"

"Yeah!"

 _A week later, Winter Cup Stadium_

"The organizers told me we would be performing during the interval, between the first and second half of the match!" – Honoka informed her friends

"S-so many people are going to see us perform"

"Come on Kayo-chin! We've been through this before!"

"Umi, what's wrong? You've been so off lately. Did something happen?" – Eli's voice snapped Umi out of her daze

"Yes – I mean no..um." – Umi looked at her feet, out of all people, she didn't want to disappoint Eli, her beloved senior

"Let's go inside and prepare for our performance, then!" – Eli giggled softly

"But I want to see the match! It's Shuutoku vs Rakuzan, two of the strongest high school basketball teams facing off" – Rin whined

' _S-shuutoku? Midorima-san's team? That's right, he did mention being in a basketball team, he must be here today. Wait why do I sound like I wanted to see him?!'_ – meanwhile Umi was lost in her own world

"Ne Umi-chan you want to stay and watch the match with me?" – Rin asked

She got dragged by Rin to the spectators' seats, right in the front row, directly facing Shuutoku High's team

In the locker room

"Hey Shin-chan, have you got your lucky item with you yet?"

"I do. And my luck is first place today. I definitely won't lose. Takao, you are guarding Akashi, get serious for once!"

"Hai hai"

"They are finally here Umi-chan they are here kyaaaa!" - Rin shouted

"Mi-midorima-san and Akashi-san"

"Eh? You know them?" – Rin was surprised to learn that Umi knew their names

"N-nevermind"

Little did she know. Midorima and Akashi had also spotted her when they reached the court

' _That girl, what is she doing here?'_

' _Sonoda Umi? What a surprise'_

The two teams then bowed to each other and proceeded to start the match

Rakuzan's shooting-guard, Mibuchi Reo, scored the first goal

Then Shuutoku's freshman got the ball and passed it to Midorima, who threw it all the way half the court and the ball got in

Midorima scored Shuutoku's first goal. At this point Umi was definitely rooting for Shuutoku

The next 10 minutes was intense. Takao and Midorima's perfect teamwork had managed to slow down Rakuzan, but Akashi was yet to reveal his true strength

He was merely observing his opponents. He also disliked Umi's reactions whenever Midorima scored a goal. The look on his face changed, his eyes shoned a predatory glint.

Akashi took a step towards Midorima and , with a swift move, stole the ball from him

Midorima stumbled backwards and fell onto the court

Umi gasped . This is not the gentle Akashi Seijurou she had met last week. It's like he had turned into a completely different person

Akashi took the chance and did a three-pointer.

The sound of the whistle signified the end of the 1st half

Umi stood up, she wondered if the greenhaired shooting guard was okay. She was genuinely worried for him

"Hey Umi-chan, it's our time! Let's go!" – Rin pulled Umi over to the court, despite the girl's protests

"This year, the Winter Cup is honoured to have one of the most renowned school idol groups to perform here at this stadium. Please welcome, **M'** s"

"H-hey Shin-chan is that Honoka-chan and Umi-chan?!" – Takao and Midorima, both stared at her wide-eyed when she appeared in the middle of the court

She was wearing her idol costume (Bokura no Life Kimi to no Life)

The same went for Akashi. He halted his discussion with the coach to take a look at Umi

When Akashi caught her eye, she immidietly looked away

He was dumbfounded – 'Why does she look as if she was afraid of me? What did I do?'

The crowd went wild when M's started their performance

" **I SAY! HEY! HEY! HEY! START: DASH!"**

" _ **Akiramecha dame nanda**_ " ( " _Don't ever give up_!") – It's Umi's line and she strode to the middle of the stage, pointing directly at Midorima, as if that line was her words to him, encouraging him to win

Midorima blushed furiously at Umi's sudden actions, earning whistles from his teammates. He pushed up his glasses and turned away, his mouth curved into a small smile.

As M's finished their performance and thanked the audience, Umi shyly approached Midorima , who was being teased by Takao and his kouhais:

"An-ano Midorima-san, please do your best!"

"Of course I'd do my best nanodayo. Cancer ranks 2nd today, there's no way I would lose"

"Shin-chan is so confident isn't he? That's right, Umi-chan will you stay to watch the rest of our match?" – Takao popped in

"Yes, I'll be watching it with Honoka. Well see you later" – she bowed and excused herself

"Wait, is that Midorima Shintarou and Sonoda Umi together?!"

"No way, Umi-san is dating one of the miracles?"

"Geez that greenhaired dude sure is lucky"

The stadium was booming with gossip - possible rumours about the two's relationship. However, a certain redhead was looking at Midorima with dismay

* * *

 **Since the majority seemed to prefer Akashi and Umi, I made several changes to the summary and storyline..Nozomi will meet Midorima in probably about two chapters ahead!**


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAP 6**

* * *

"Sei-chan! Hey, Sei-chan?"

"Mibuchi, what's the matter?" – Reo's voice snapped Akashi out of his daze

"You look quite absent-minded. You didn't seem to pay attention when the coach explained his strategy either. You are not yourself today, Sei-chan" – Mibuchi threw him an understanding wink

"My apologies, Mibuchi. But I won't let personal matters get in the way of our team's victory"

He looked up at Umi again and was overwhelmed by a sense of mindfulness. The first time he met her, he was impressed by her dignified demeanors. And the incident at the court had furthered his subtle attraction to her. He wanted to meet and talk to her again

Today would be that day

He was too preoccupied with how to approach her properly that he paid no heeds to his coach and teammates

But every time their eyes met, she would turn away. Though he found this aspect of Umi quite endearing, he couldn't help wondering why she did not want to look at him

And then, Akashi realized that Midorima Shintarou was a bigger problem than he expected.

The second half began with intense offense power from both teams. Umi could feel her heart racing to match the tempo of the match

"Umi-chan, isn't it exciting?! Ahh, I want to play basketball too!" – Honoka exclaimed

"I think it's a good idea Honoka. You'll be able to boost your physique if you practice regularly"

"You do? Wah, we should tell Kotori too! The three of us always do things together right?" – Honoka grabbed Umi's hand

"….Midorima-san!" – Umi stood up from her seat. Her face showed a sign of shock, worry mixed with fear as she saw Midorima fell flat onto the court

Akashi had performed his infamous Ankle Break

"Sh-Shin-chan"

"I'm fine, Takao. I won't give up, especially to him"

He looked up and when he met Umi's worried expression, he gave her a reassuring nod

Akashi had awoken, there's no stopping Rakuzan now

Akashi's perfect passes harmonized Rakuzan team play impeccably, leaving no chances for Shuutoku

' _The result is foreseeable. Rakuzan is bound to win'_

The match ended with 180-156, Rakuzan's victory

Umi and Honoka slumped down in disappointment.

Umi saw Midorima walking towards the exit. He looked so depressed, all his confidence he showed her had vanished

Umi's feet automatically prompted her to chase after him

"U-Umi-chan, where are you going?" – Honoka's voice echoed from behind, but Umi kept running

When she reached a dark corridor, Midorima was nowhere in sight. Umi was lost

She continued to walk along the path, when suddenly she heard someone

"Hey pretty, are you lost?"

She took a step back in defense

The person revealed himself to be none other than Haizaki Shougo

"Arent' you one of those idol girls down there? Care to spend some time with me?" – He grabbed her arms and pinned her against the wall

Umi struggle to break free, but this guy was too strong for her

"Now, a little bit aggressive aren't you? But it's okay, fierce girls are my type" – He leaned in and whispered into her ear

Umi used her unconstrained leg to kick him in the gut, but he caught her leg in time and kneed her stomach

She winced in pain. Tears formed in her eyes

'What should I do now?'

"Let go of her right now, Shougo!"

As he heard the source of the voice, Haizaki freed Umi's arms. She dropped to the floor, sobbing

"Ah, if it isn't my dear former captain from Teikou. Trying to play prince charming huh Akashi? I was only having a little fun with your girl that's all" – Haizaki smirked, noticing Akashi death glare

"I warn you, Shougo. If you lay a finger on her again, you will regret it" – Akashi's tone dropped an octave lower

"Yeah yeah I get it now. Not to mess with the emperor's girl heh?" –

"..And get out of my sight immedietly"

"Yes yes your Majesty" – Haizaki jokingly said before making his way out

"Umi, are you alright?" – Akashi crouched down to check on Umi, who was clutching her stomach

"I-I'm fine. Thankyou very much, Akashi-san" – she said between sobs

"What did he do to you?" – Akashi inquired, taking hold of her hand – "Your wrists are bruised. I'll take you to the infirmary"

"No, it's alright. I can go on my own"

"I insist. That guy was a former teammate of mine, so I will take responsibility"

With that said, he helped her stand up and they walked to the infirmary in silence. Akashi offered to hold her bag since she was injured

They reached the room, but no one was inside.

"I'll excuse myself Akashi-san.T.."

She was cut off when Akashi pulled her into the room, sat her down on a chair and started to prepare the bandage

'I've been waiting to talk to you for a long time, Umi'

"Akashi-san, there's no need to..Ah" – She let out a small gasped when Akashi held her hand and gently wrapped the bandage around it

He observed her reaction and smiled

She was confused, why was he so nice to her? Did he have any underlying motives?

"Umi, which school are you attending?" – He asked while still working on her bruise

"Otonokizaka High in Tokyo. It's an all –girl private school." – Umi was dubious, why was he asking her about her school

But her insincts told her that Akashi meant no harm

"Hm, I see. Having to balance your schoolwork and idol activities must be exhausting, no?" – He looked up and caught her staring at him

Umi's face turned a deep crimson. Akashi was close – too close – and she was having difficulties regulating her breath

"Ah-I think I'm used to it already. Being a school idol is not easy, but I had fun. It's something I really want to do together with my friends. Does Akashi-san feel the same way about basketball?"

Umi hit the nail with that question. Akashi stopped for a moment, then he chuckled

"I guess I do. Basketball has been my passion ever since my mother passed away"

"Ah! I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked that"

"It's okay. You are the first to ask me a question like that, so to be honest I was taken aback"

Now that she thought about it, she knew particularly nothing about this man in front of her, save that he was incredibly kind, charming and good at basketball, 'a walking perfection' she might say

She was inclined to ask more, but she was afraid of bringing up a sore point

"You know Umi, you can ask me anything, I don't mind at all"

He wanted to know more about this girl and wanted her to know more about him. There's a part of him that wanted to impress her with his perfection, the other wanted to show her his vulnerable side

"Akashi-san. In the match, why did you do that to Midorima-san? You tripped him didn't you?" – the gentleness in her voice had gone, replaced by a scolding tone

"I'll have you know that what I did in the match was within the rules. It was Midorima's fault for being incompetent" – he sounded a tad bit offended

"How could you say that about your former teammate, Akashi-san?" – Umi withdrew her hand from his and looked straight into his eyes, a looked of anger and disappointment

' _How interesting, she changed radically when she talked about Midorima'_

" It was a mere objective truth, Sonoda Umi. I was simply stating the fact" – replied Akashi nonchalantly

"Even so.."

"It is my job to guarantee my team's victory. I believe my actions are justifiable"

"Midorima-san had tried so hard.."

"Why do you care so much about him?! I thought you two had nothing to do with each other?!" – Akashi snapped at her, making the girl step back in surprise

He then left the room and slammed the door harshly

Umi felt like crying again - _'I upsetted him'_

* * *

Angsty jelly time yaayyyy!

Also please review, I really need your comments on the plot :))

Thanks guys :))


	7. Chapter 7

**Chap 7**

* * *

Akashi was incensed.

He was the one who saved her from Haizaki

He was the one who took her to the infirmary and treated her bruised wrists

Yet all she cared about was Midorima

When he calmed down, however, he regretted his actions

' _I shouldn't have done that'_ – he thought as he intended to go back to the room and apologised to Umi

He opened the door and luckily she was still there

"Eh..Akashi-san? What are.."

"It was rude of me to have spoken to you in such an impolite manner. I beg your forgiveness, Umi" – the sound of her first name from his lips was so tender and sincere that she couldn't help but crack a small smile

"If anything Akashi-san, the one you should apologise to is Midorima-san, not me" – there she went lecturing him again, but he didn't mind, because her precious smile was for him, and him only to see

"Let's go, I think the others are waiting for us"

"Yes"

"What's taking Umi-chan so long?" – Honoka huffed

The rest of Muse exchanged worried looks. If something bad happened to their friend, then the girls would be out for blood

"Eh, Akachin is not here yet? Sacchin,I'm going home" – Murasakibara groaned lazily

"Wait, Mukkun, let's wait for a few minutes then we'll go and have burgers! Agree?" – Momoi had managed to persuade the purple teen to stay

"Hey, arent' you guys Muse?" – Kise's voice broke the silence

"Yeah,and I'm their leader, the one and only greatest school idol, Nico-nico-nii!"

"Eh, I don't know midgets can be school idols?" – Murasakibara patted Nico's head, much to her annoyance

"Hey, I'm a third year! Be respectful!"

"Why do you look like an elementary school student ?"

The two kept arguing back and forth

"Hello" – Kuroko suddenly appeared out of the blue, startling Kotori

"Where- where did you come from?" – Kotori almost fainted on the spot

"I was here the whole time. My name is Kuroko Tetsuya"

"Minami Kotori, nice to meet you!" – she shook hands with Kuroko

"Dai-chan, why are you so quiet?" – Momoi asked the tanned teen, who was silently gaping at the sight of Eli and Nozomi's ahem, busts

' _Dai-chan you perverted ganguro!'_

"I'm Kise Ryouta, nice to meet you all!"

"Eh, you-you are Kaijou's Kise right, nya?" – Rin beamed with excitement

"Yeah, I'm a second-year and a part-time model. Are you Nishikino Maki-san?" – Kise turned towards Maki, who was twirling her hair anxiously

"It-it's not like I'm here to talk to you..I'm only waiting for Umi" – she retorted, face red like a tomato

"Woa, Nishikinocchi is so mean, I was just trying to say hello" – Kise pouted, embarrassing Maki even more

"Th-that's none of your business! And who gives you the right to call me like that!?"

' _Atsundere like Midorimacchi huh?How cute'_ – Kise grinned like an idiot

Having lost the Semi-finals, Midorima sat in a corner far from his former teammates, he was immersed in deep thoughts about the match, about Akashi about his own shortcomings. Luck was not on his side today

"Hm? Are you not joining your teammates over there?" – a feminine voice interrupted his train of thoughts

He had seen her performing along with Umi on the court

"Who might you be?" – he asked

"That's not important isn't it?" – Nozomi giggled

"If you don't have any important business, then please leave. I'm not- "

"Let me guess, Oha-Asa?" – exclaimed Nozomi as she caught sight of his lucky item

"H-how do you know?" – he pushed up his glasses and turned away

' _Is she a psychic or something?'_

"My spiritual power is overwhelming, you know? Cancer ranks first today right? How ill-fated" – she remarked sarcastically

Midorima then found himself at a loss for words

"My name is Nozomi, Nozomi Tojo from Otonokizaka High. You?"

"Mi-midorima Shintarou from Shuutoku"

"Nice to meet you, Shintarou-kun. Now then let's get to the main point : what is your relationship with our Umi-chan?" – Nozomi's voice suddenly lowered, her face darkened

"Wh-where do you obtain such preposterous information?! I have absolutely nothing to do with her!" – Midorima retorted in frustration. He had to clear out this matter several times and now he was truly devastated

"Hm? So you two are not dating? Good, because if you steal our precious little sister, I'll send you to hell" – Nozomi smiled innocently

"Y-yeah"

' _are all school idols that creepy?'_ – thought Midorima as he watched Nozomi walk away. However, his mood had lightened up a bit after talking to the purple-haired girl

' _She's strangely…refreshing'_

The two groups continued to chatter until they turned their eyes towards the entrance. They were presented with the most scandalous sight

Akashi and Umi were walking together, side-by-side, like some couple out of a K-drama.

Takao and Honoka looked at each other in confusion

Kise yelped dramatically

Aomine spurred an array of profanities

Midorima gaped

Momoi and Kuroko exchanged small smiles

The rest of Muse, however, was sending murderous looks towards Akashi's direction

' _Akashicchi you sly fox!'_

' _Well that was fast'_

' _Way to go, Akashi-kun!'_

"What did you do to her? Why are her wrists injured?" – Eli crossed her arm

"It-it's not like that, Eli. Akashi-san saved me from.."

"From WHO?" – they all asked in unision

"Haizaki. He harrassed her in the corridor." – Akashi spoke. Umi noticed his change of aura when he mentioned the guy who attacked her

"That bastard! I'll kill him" – Kise and Aomine was seething with anger

"Who is this 'Haizaki'?" – Honoka asked while looking at her childhood friend

"He was an old teammate of ours. He was capable, but rebellious, so Akashi kicked him out of the team" – Aomine explained

"Umi-chan are you hurt anywhere else?" – Momoi asked, her eyes filled with concern

"I'm fine. Had it not been for Akashi-san, I would have been beaten up badly" – she gazed at Akashi gratefully, which he returned with a gentle smile

"Geeze you gave us a great scare back there, I thought you guys were secretly dating!" – Takao elbowed Midorima teasingly

"Do you want to join us at Maji Burger?" – Momoi asked the members of Muse

"Of course!" – Honoka cheered at the mention of food

"Now now don't get too excited, Honoka!" – Umi scolded her

"Umi-chan is always scolding me! I'm disheartened!" – Honoka pouted

' _So she's like this towards everyone'_ – Akashi thought as he tried to calm his thumping heartbeat

"Akashi-san?"

"Yes?"

"You are lagging behind. Are you okay?"

"I should be the one asking you that question, shouldn't I?" – he motioned to her hand

A blush slowly crept up on Umi's face. She quickly turned away from him and caught up with Honoka and the others

* * *

That was quite a lot of interactions in one chapter

Please let me know what you think. Your comments really make my day!


	8. Chapter 8

Sorry for the long delay! Exams and tests are overwhelming :(((

 **Chapter 8**

* * *

 **At Maji Burger**

Everything was complete chaos

Kagami and Aomine tried to outdo each other eating burgers.

Hanayo sulked because she could not have rice in a burger restaurant

Kotori tried to match her outfits on Kuroko and his dog, earning fangirling squeals from Momoi (later the two conspired to dress Kuroko up)

Nozomi and Midorima continued their conversation about constellations; tarots; fortune-telling and the likes.

"Shintarou-kun, you are interested in fortune-telling? That's rather odd for someone like you"

"I have to rely on my lucky items to ensure my shots won't miss"

"Interesting, so have you ever missed any shots before?"

"Not any untouched shots. Why do you care anyways, it's not like you need to know about these things" – he grumpily replied

"I see, a typical Cancer, but such temperament won't bring you any luck, Shintarou-kun" – Nozomi shook her head

"Then what do you think I should do to improve my luck?" –Midorima, somehow could sense a 'spiritual aura' radiating from her, showed a bit interest

"It depends on the situation you're in. But all in all, just keep an optimistic attitude and the stars will be alligned perfectly." – Nozomi tapped her chin thoughtfuly

Meanwhile, Takao looked at Midorima like a proud father : 'Shin-chan can finally get a girl on his own now, I'm so proud'

That left Eli and Himuro – the only sane people in the room. They chat about various things, which was actually an exchange of half-assed Russian and English

"Harasho"

"Weru weru" (GOSH ANYONE GET THE JOKE?)

Akashi had led Umi to quite an isolated corner of the restaurant  
(almost scared the girl out of her wits) , where he was sure would took along time for his friends to find out

"I think you need some peace and quite, Umi. You've been through a lot today"

"T-thank you Akashi-san. I appreciate it very much" – she thanked him before sitting down on a chair across from the redhead

"Have you ordered anything?"

"No. I'm not hungry, actually"

Umi folded her arms on the table, anxiously fiddling with the hem of her sleeves

Akashi wasn't sure what he felt then

He could only melt in the warmth of her amber-brown orbs when he looked at her. His mind would tell him that he was being irrational, yet his inner soul was raging

"Akashi-san..why are you staring at me?"

"It's Seijuro"

"Huh?"

"My name is Seijuro"

"But we've barely met. I can't possibly call you by your- "

"Umi, I would like it if you could address me by my first name, the same way I address you"

"If you insist, Seijuro-kun" – Umi's tone suddenly grew a bit playful, leaving the redhead stunned for a brief moment

"Are you free next Sunday?"

' _Why all of a sudden? I-is he asking me out on a d-date?'_

" What's the matter?"

Akashi took a deep breath and said

"It's the Winter Cup Finals next week and I would be very happy if you could be there watching our match"

"I see, what team are you up against next week?"

"We will be competing against Touou next week. It won't be an easy match"

"Touou, that's Momoi-san's school isn't it?"

"Yes, and Aomine's. No matter how you look at it, Aomine is a formiddable opponent. That is said for Momoi as well"- his tone turned serious

"I thought Momoi-san is a manager?"

"She is an expert in collecting data and statistical analysis. Her team benefits greatly from her intel. We don't have a manager, and we could only gather information about other teams by watching their matches."

' _No wonder she knows so much about me, including cup size'_

"Aka- Seijuro-kun's team is certainly very powerful. To be honest, I have never witnessed something so superhuman until this day" – Umi confessed

"'Superhuman', you say?" – he smirked

"Rakuzan's teamplay was perfectly synchronized and elegant. I think it has something to do with Seijuro-kun's special ability?"

"I myself am nothing special, Umi. I'm just doing my best to lead the team to victory. Nevertheless I appreciate your compliment" – he chuckled at her speculation

He flashed her a smile, and she was sure she was on the verge of fainting. Studying in an all-girl academy, she was never used to interacting with boys, much less someone so handsome and perfect like this man in front of her. So meeting and being able to talk to THE Akashi Seijuro was a valuable experience

"Can you make it next Sunday?" – he asked but sounded as if he was requesting her to do so

"I'm not sure. But if I'm not busy, I'll definitely come"

"Good. I believe you are someone who won't go back on her words. I'll have to leave now, see you next week. It was a pleasure meeting you, Sonoda Umi" – He stood up, offering her his hand

"It was nice to know you too, Seijuro-kun! Thank you very much for today!"

The two bid goodbye to each other and parted ways. Much to Umi's dismay, her friends had disappeared, again, leaving her a text

' _From : Honoka_

 _Umi-chan~ We saw you and Akashi-kun all lovey-dovey together, so we didn't dare to interrupt you! So we decided to leave_ _first!_

 _P/s : Did he make a move on you yet?'_

Umi flipped her phone shut with a huff, cheeks reddened

' _What is this sudden new dream?_

 _A premonition of unknown excitement_

 _I want to learn more from you'_

On her way home, Umi recalled the lyrics of one of her songs "Binetsu Kara Mystery" and realized how accurate the song fitted her situation then.

She couldn't take her mind off Akashi the week after and she couldn't wait to meet him again on Sunday

And so did he

* * *

 **I'm very very sorry about the long wait! I'll try to update more often in the future!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

 ** _First, I would like to offer my most sincere apologies for having not been able to update_**

 ** _Second, I have decided that the story will mainly focus on Akashi and Umi, so yeah I wouldn't have time for any other ships, but I'll randomly include them at some point_**

 ** _Third, I'm going to take my college entrance exams 10 days from now, so wish me luck :)))_**

* * *

"Oi Shin-chan, didn't think you were so popular with the ladies?" – Takao snickered

"Shut up Takao"

"I was really disappointed to learn about Umi-chan and Akashi ya' know, I was originally planning to get you guys together but hey now Shin-chan can get his own girl right?"

"Hmf, there's no way Akashi would let himself be involved in some frivolous romantic pursuits"

"Are you jealous, Shin-chan?! And by the way, I heard that you are going home early today. Is there anywhere you have to drop by?"

"I have some business to attend to. I'm leaving"

Midorima picked up his belongings and left the gym. He headed towards a nearby temple

He had been so unlucky recently despite having religiouly following every single one of Oha Asa's advice. First, he lost to Akashi. Then he got into a series of bad luck for a whole week. So he decided to rid himself off some misfortune by dropping by the temple everyday from then on until his luck improved

What he didn't expect was a certain purple-haired girl, in a miko outfit, who greeted him with a knowing smile

"Glad to see you again, Shintarou-kun! What do you need?"

"I-I. What are you doing here?!" – he pushed up his glasses in confusion

' _This woman is everywhere. It seems she's not joking about her spiritual power'_

"I'm a helper at this temple. I see that you're having a great deal of bad luck recently, why don't you come inside and ask of God's blessings?"

If he could recall, she introduced herself as 'Nozomi Tojo', who was, to his surprise, just as superstitious as he was, if not more.

"If you keep up that grumpy attitude of yours, it's likely you will encounter even more bad luck Shintarou-kun. Oh, the entrance is that way" – Nozomi followed Midorima towards the altar

"You d-don't need to tell me that. I can go by myself"

"It's my duty to escort guests at this temple, Shintarou-kun"

"But I don't need a chaperone"

They reached the altar and both bowed to show respect. Midorima was quickly done with his 'service to God' when he saw Nozomi, eyes shut, hands clasped together tightly. She was mumbling something inaudible he couldn't make out and she was deeply immersed in her own world. The very sight was enchanting. She looked like a lovely goddess descended from the heaven

Midorima stood motionless for a few minutes, then snapped back to reality

"Are you going to sit there forever?"

She shot him an apologetic smile

"Sorry.. I forgot you are here too"

Then, Midorima noticed something in her eyes, something that hinted loneliness, but her sorrowful gaze was quickly replaced by her usual playful one

"Well, if you need to confide in God, just come here anytime, Shintarou-kun. God shall offer you spiritual guidance and lead you towards your goals!"

"I only come because my luck is declining, that's all"

"I see, goodbye Shintarou-kun! And thanks for coming!"

Midorima let out an annoyed 'Hmf' and headed home.

Nozomi's words stuck on his head

' _Should I come tomorrow?'_

Umi looked at herself in the mirror once again and sighed in disappointment. She never cared much about the way she dressed, as long as it's decent for her age and status. Now, however, she was frantically rummaging through her closet to find something 'presentable' as she couldn't possibly show up at Akashi's match wearing her school uniform

Fortunately, Kotori came to her rescue just in time

Kotori obviously had an eye for fashion. She designed Muse's extremely meticulous costumes and on numerous occasions even designed some custom-made outfits for Umi because ' _Umi-chan would look good in anything'_

"Umi-chan, you cannot wear something like this on a date!"

"It's not a date Kotori! You got it all wrong"

"Even so, showing up in front of Akashi-san with this attire is a crime, Umi-chan. You could get arrested by a fashion police!"

"Th-then what should I do?"

"Hmm, let me see"

On Kotori's suggestions (more like co-ercion), Umi wore a white sleeveless blouse along with a mint-coloured cardigan ; a miniskirt of the same shade and thigh-high brown boots. She also wore flowered shape golden earings to match the outfit

Kotori squealed in happiness the moment she saw her best friend

"Oh my god Umi-chan! Any man would fall for you if you dressed like this!"

"K-Kotori. This is embarrassing!"

"Go and have fun with Akashi-san!"

With that, Kotori waved goodbye to Umi and fled

'S-so many people are here' – Umi gasped as she stepped into the stadium. She carefully memorised the layout so that she would't get lost again

She reached the court – where the match would take place, and started looking for Akashi's team

"Isn't that Umi-chan? What are you doing here?"

Umi turned around to see the figure of a 195cm greenhaired man walking alongside a shorter raven-haired man

Midorima and Takao, the inseparable duo

"Why are you here, nanodayo?"

Umi flinched at Midorima's question, she couldn't possibly tell them that she came here on Akashi's request

"I-I..er"

"Umi-chan, did anyone tell you that you look very lovely today? Right, Shin-chan?" – Takao smirked victoriously at Midorima's reaction

"Th-thank you very much, I have to go now.."

"Why don't you watch the match with us, Umi-chan? Shin-chan might get lonely"

"Shut up Takao!"

"I have to go to the bathroom for a moment. Shin-chan, you and Umi-chan just go ahead without me. Oh and remember to spare a seat for me!"

Takao sneaked away, leaving the two awkward teens alone

"A-ano, I guess we should go?"

"How's your injury?"

"My – what?"

"Your injury. Haizaki did that to you, right?"

"I'm fine now. Thanks Midorima-kun"

She let out a soft giggle, startling Midorima

"Why are you laughing? Did I say something funny?"

"No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to.."

They reached the spectators' row and took their seats.

"Is this,er, your lucky item for today?" – Umi asked pointing to his calculator

"Cancer ranks 6th today. So it's neither good or bad. But still carrying my lucky item is essential"

Umi looked at him rambling about the importance of lucky items and accidentally blurted out

"..just like Nozomi.."

"Nozomi?"

"Do you know her?" – she leaned in to ask, shock was written all over her face when Midorima mentioned Nozomi's name

"It's a long story. Y-you don't need to know about it" – Midorima pushed up his glasses and turned away hiding his red face

' _And if that girl knew you are here, she's going to burn me alive'_

"o-okay, sorry for asking"

"The match is starting, pay attention"

"Y-yes"

Rakuzan and Touou started their line-up and proceeded with the 1st quarter

Apparently Touou was a strong team known for its offense prowess

Umi watched Aomine with awe, but she still didn't understand why he could reach this insane speed on the court. Then Midorima sensed her confusion and started explaining

"Back in our middle school days, Aomine was the ace player of Teiko. His reflexes and speed are top-notch and unstoppable. He relies primarily on his instincts therefore making his moves unpredictable. Overall, Aomine is one difficult opponent, even for someone like Akashi" – He stopped for a moment –"his second persona may surface if the situation goes out of hand"

"Sei- Akashi-kun's second persona?"

* * *

 **So Umi gets a hint of Bokushi's existence within Akashi. What will she do? Will she freak out and run away from him? Or is she just as (in)sane as we are and continues to love Akashi no matter who he is?**

 **Let's find out in the next chapter!**

 **Ps: I really love reading all of your lovely and well-written reviews!**


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